


Wondering Where to Find What You Truly Miss

by writermegs17



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 18:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17627582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writermegs17/pseuds/writermegs17
Summary: Iris shows Nora photos of her father and tells her more about him the night she ran away to the Flash museum.





	Wondering Where to Find What You Truly Miss

Iris hated seeing Nora look so small in her bed, clutching her Flash action  figure tightly, the way that her father used to hold on to his stuffed turtle in the early days of adjusting to his mother being gone. Her heart sinks as Nora tries to muffle her cries into the blankets. She hated the way she could hear her daughters breath catch sharply in her throat. Nora was only eight, and she’d cried herself to sleep more nights than any kid should have to.

“Nora, Sweetheart, what’s the matter?” Iris gently probes, heartbroken to already know the answer.

“I want Daddy.” Nora sobs.

“I know, I know you do, baby. I’m sorry I never took you to the museum myself.” Iris says, letting Nora snuggle against her  
“I don’t understand why Daddy ran away.” Nora sighs

“Baby, Daddy didn’t run away. He had to leave. To help people make the world a better place for his little girl to grow up in. Everything your father ever did was for us.”

“I know, but sometimes I wish he would have taken us with him. So we could all be together.”

“Nora, sweet, sweet, girl, I’d do anything to bring him back to you. All I will ever wish for is for us to be together again.”

“Why can’t I remember him, Mommy? I tried really hard and I can’t.”

“Baby, you were only four when your Dad went away. It’s okay that you can’t remember. He knew he might have to go away, that’s why there’s so many photos, and messages he left for you.

“Can I see some, you said you’d show me when I was big enough for long stories and I think I am?”  
Iris smiles, her voice soft. “Of course you can.”

A moment later Iris returns with a few photo albums.

“Mom, is that me and Dad whenever I was born?”

Iris wipes away a single tear. “Yes, and I promise you, I have never recalled a time when your dad smiled more. He always said he never knew love until you were born.”  
“But he loved you too.”  
“I know, you’ll understand what we meant as your parents when you have kids some day.”  
“Why is this one in the Daddy’s Favorite’s book if he’s not in it?”

Iris laughs a little, clearly Nora had inherited her father’s abundant curiosity “Because he took it. It was the first time you walked and he said it was his favorite picture of his favorite girls.”

“I can see why. You look really pretty in it. Daddy took good photos.”  
“He did, and thank you baby.”  
“You smiled different when Dad was here.” Nora says and Iris’s heart shatters.

“Your father could make me smile in a way no one else, ever will, except for you, Nora.” She says taking her daughter’s hand

Nora flips through a few more pictures before she speaks again. There are photos of her on Barry’s shoulders in the woods at her Grandpa Henry’s old cabin, picture’s from her first day of  preschool, a vacation at the beach with her father splashing her as she laughs, more baby pictures of him feeding her, and brushing her hair, and more pictures of hugs and kisses than she can count. Her father was even larger than life than he was in her dreams.

“Dad smiled a lot.”  
“He did, and it was a miracle considering everything that your father went through.”  
“I’m sorry you won’t see it in real life anymore, Mom. It sure is a pretty one.”

“But I do, Nora. Everything I ever loved about your father, especially that beautiful smile and breathtaking green eyes, I see in you. Every day.  You are your father’s daughter Nora West-Allen, and my god, would he be so proud of you.” Iris whispers, kissing the top of her daughter’s forehead, breathing in the subtle way the speed force warmed her up, despite her powers being dampened, at least for now.

“I think I want to be a CSI, I want to help people. Just like Dad.”  
“I think that would be pretty incredible, Nora.

“Really? I thought you wanted me to be a reporter, like you.” Nora shrugs

“Sweetheart, all I want, all we both ever wanted was for you to be happy. And if this will make you happy and bring you a sense of your father, I think it is a perfect idea.”

“Mom, is this from the day Daddy disappeared?”

Iris looks at her daughter, not able to say more than a nod of the head. She remembers that day vividly and it still makes her ache. Barry held onto Nora so tightly, that night. Iris could still hear them both crying, the crack in his voice deafening as he whispered, “Goodbye Nora Bear, I’ll love you forever.”  
“I’m sorry, I asked you to tell me, Mom. I don’t have to ask any more questions.”

“No baby, I just. I have to give you something, from Dad.” She says pulling a letter out of the scrapbook.

“What is it?”

“A letter, he asked me to give it to you on the day you needed to know everything.” She says, starting to read it aloud  
_Dear Nora Bear,_

_I bet you never knew I used to call you that, your mom always thought it was silly, but my beautiful, girl, it fit you like a glove. You are the best thing in my life, and there’s something you need to hear from me, I am  the Flash, and my darling, you are a speedster too, a hero destined for greatness, but for now, you’re just like everyone else. Don’t be mad at your Mom for not letting you have powers until your grown, I wanted her to protect you. Which is what breaks my heart the most, that because I had to protect the world,  I can’t be there to protect you. But she can, and I have no doubt that my girls will protect each other and lift each other up. One day you’ll be able to come find me, but for now, find me in the place where the lost things go. Just like the song I used to sing to you._

_All my love,_

_Daddy._

Iris sobs a little, Nora’s sleepy head resting in her lap.

“I love you, Mom.” Nora whispers

“I love you too, Nora. It’s us against the world now and forever.” Iris says, tucking her daughter in and giving a smile to the sky, a thank you to her husband  for making sure Nora was all the best parts of him.


End file.
